Charles Gordon, 10th Marquess of Huntly (4 January 1792 – 18 September 1863), styled Lord Strathavon from 1794 to 1836 and Earl of Aboyne from 1836 to 1853, was a Scottish peer, politician, courtier, and cricketer. He was a Member of Parliament, first as a Tory (1818–1830) and then a Whig (1830 onwards).
Huntly played first-class cricket for Hampshire, Middlesex, Kent, Surrey, and the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) between 1819 and 1843. He also appeared in first-class matches for W Ward's XI, both the Players and the Gentlemen, a Married XI, Lord Strathavon's XI (his own side), and the Gentlemen of Kent.[4] In 33 first-class matches, he scored a total of 193 runs, with a highest score of 19 against Oxford University, at a batting average of 4.02 runs per innings, only reaching double-figures on four occasions in 61 innings.[3][5]
Huntly played for both the Players and the Gentlemen in the annual matches between the two sides, uniquely becoming the only member of the aristocracy to appear for the Players when he did so in 1819. This appears to have been due to him having placed a bet on the Players. He played for the Gentlemen in the fixture in 1827.[3]
He was a member of MCC for around 50 years and its president in 1821–22.[3][4] His brother, Francis Gordon, also played some first-class cricket, including for MCC, and appeared alongside Huntly for the Gentlemen in 1827. The brother's father had been an early member of MCC.[4]
In March 1826, he was married to Lady Elizabeth Conyngham, the eldest daughter of Henry Conyngham, 1st Marquess Conyngham, and the former Elizabeth Denison, King George IV's mistress. They did not have any children before her death in 1839.[1]
At age 52, Huntly married Marie Antoinette Pegus (c. 1821–1893), the only surviving daughter of Rev. William Peter Pegus and the former Charlotte Susanna Layard (a daughter of Very Rev. Charles Layard, Dean of Bristol), whose family were West Indies planters of French Huguenot background.[6][7] Marie was a half-sister of George Bertie, 10th Earl of Lindsey.[3] With Marie, he had fourteen children, the last born five months after his death:[1]
Lady Mary Catherine Gordon (1845–1930), who married Edmund Turnor, in 1866.[1]
Lady Ethelreda Caroline Gordon (1864–1961), who married Lt.-Col. Henry Wickham of Oundle, youngest son of Lamplugh Wickham, in 1884.[1]
Lord Huntly died at Orton Longueville 18 September 1863, aged 71.[5] His titles passed to his eldest son, Charles. His widow died on 10 August 1893.[1]
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